Batibasaga named in Australian Women's Sevens squad

Sydney University Women’s Rugby Club (SUWRC) veteran and experienced Sevens campaigner Iliseva Batibasaga has been selected in the Australian Women’s Sevens squad to defend their title at the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens in Moscow in June.

Batibasaga, a two-time Women’s Rugby World Cup representative, was part of Australia’s first-ever women’s Sevens side which in 2008 earned qualification for the first Rugby World Cup Sevens held the following year. The squad, which Batibasaga was also part of, went on to win the Rugby World Cup Sevens in 2009 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The 162cm centre is the daughter of well-known Fijian international Sevens scrumhalf Isimeli Batibasaga, cousin of former Wallabies winger Lote Tuqiri and former NSW Waratah Nemani Nadolo.

Batibasaga also found herself on the world rugby stage in 2006, when she sang the national anthem at the Women’s Rugby World Cup.

She is part of the Sydney University team that sits second behind Parramatta on the 2013 Sydney Clubs Women Rugby table.

The Australians face China, Ireland and South Africa in pool play at the tournament, which runs 29-30 June.

The Australian Women’s Sevens squad will be in camp at the Sydney Academy of Sport in Narrabeen from 5-9 June and at the Surfing Australia High Performance Centre in Casuarina from 18-21 June. They depart for Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013 on 22 June.